[Noisebridge-discuss] Attn: Lockpicking and Attn: Interested on Public Key Encryption

[Taylor Alexander]

I use these:
http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-25ecodZ5yc1v/R-100353756/h_d2/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=master+lock+4+pack&storeId=10051#.UE2bRqTyZ6k
For chaining people to my bed. :-p

But that's 4 locks with identical keying and you can buy them at home depot
(which is convenient). Of course, every pack has its own unique key
(well... they probably arent *totally* unique, but thats not the point). If
you want all your locks to use the same key, I suggest contacting a
locksmith or calling up Master Lock directly.

All I really know is that you can buy that thing at Home Depot. The rest is
stuff I've heard.

On Sun, Sep 9, 2012 at 2:16 PM, Snail <snailtsunami at gmail.com> wrote:

> Glen --
>
> There is a box of 50 or so cut combination locks (still "work", they just
> can't lock anything) on the hackshelves in a bin. Feel free to use them. :)
>
> On Sep 9, 2012 11:56 AM, "Glen Jarvis" <glen at glenjarvis.com> wrote:
>
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA1
>
> I am interested in communicating difficult concepts in very easy ways.
> Something about that gives me a kick. I want to get some physical
> lock-key apparati and I thought the lock picking group may help point
> me in the right direction.
>
> I have been explaining public-key encryption to new users for several
> weeks now. I found the main source of confusion was that they were
> using the concept of symmetric keys and having two keys just didn't
> fit that model.
>
> I found it most helpful use the word 'key' *only* when discussing
> symmetric keys and *never* use it when discussing public key
> cryptography. I would substitute the words "safe" and "combination"
> (concept per GNU Privacy Handbook
> (http://www.gnupg.org/gph/en/manual.html) instead of key for public
> key encryption.
>
> So, we would say "your public safe" each time we were referring to the
> concept of a public key.  And, we would say "your private combination"
> when we were talking about the private key concept.  Because this
> repetitively used the words "public and safe" and "private and
> combination," it seemed to help a *lot*. In fact, when we started
> talking about "John's public safe" and "my public safe" and "my
> private combination" it made sense.
>
> I also used the short story of: "Imagine I'm not home and you're
> trying to get me a message that you know ONLY my eyes will see. You
> call me on the phone and discuss but don't want to give me the message
> over the phone. I explain that, outside my house, on my porch, I have
> a safe that's bolted down into the concrete -- it can't easily be
> stolen. I leave the safe unlocked. Only I have the combination to it.
> So, why don't you put your message inside the safe (since I'm not
> home), spin the tumbler to lock it, and know only I can unlock it when
> I get home."
>
> This concept worked very well (it seemed to work in all cases thus
> far). It's something physical that people can relate to. Yes, the safe
> can be drilled into and the message stolen. and, yes, the concrete
> could be destroyed and the safe stolen. But, those things are pretty
> hard to do and can take a while -- I may be home before they get by
> with it. Those same concepts are true for Public Key encryption.
>
> I want to take this physical concept and make a classroom apparatus
> for it. I want a bunch of small padlocks (the small cheap kind is
> fine). But, I need to get like 5 copies of the exact padlock (i.e., I
> want one single key to open many different padlocks). The idea is that
> each padlock represents a public key and they're passed around the
> room willy nilly so anyone can have one (I'll probably paint or in
> some way color code them so each set is easily identifiable). And,
> then, if I could get a small box or carton or diary or something that
> would lock, we can have people write messages, put them in the box,
> and then lock it with a lock (e.g., I'll use a red lock because Glen
> has the keys for red locks and I can get a message to him). These can
> be passed around the room to be delivered to the person in question. I
> have no idea what the box thingy will look like -- I'm open to
> suggestions.
>
> I'm more troubled where can I buy a set of identical padlocks where
> only one key will open them? (e.g., 1 key and 5 padlocks). And, then
> can I buy several sets?
>
> I thought the lock-picking group may be able to point me to a vendor
> or the right location. I hope not to spend more than $30 or so on
> this, so we're talking reasonably cheap small locks if possible. I
> will only use this a few times when teaching a class...  (although, I
> think with this apparatus we could easily teach third graders how
> public key cryptography works)..
>
> Any help would be appreciated.
>
>
> Warmest Regards,
>
>
> Glen Jarvis
> - --
> "Pursue, keep up with, circle round and round your life as a dog does
> his master's chase. Do what you love. Know your own bone; gnaw at it,
> bury it, unearth it, and gnaw it still."
>
> - --Henry David Thoreau
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Version: GnuPG v1.4.12 (Darwin)
>
> iQEcBAEBAgAGBQJQTOYSAAoJEKUwgjDmsw1zb3YH/0gwZNJkD2clekXb58GDrWLv
> R4ad6DlJE7ly2zS/jpGI/I0MPUXDJ40ZHcDywQl2cykbGkCoAna84Fv1K4cbH25b
> QkUYP3b16TuflA+01kN3gRxvbSqp2qCHJVBRBb76b7m5+7XW5JMkFOkIZ8Yk9ArK
> 0q++PzHBuR7SkBBA/3w0fqabndJfvgPiAwTyIMyp4w6R7p78S4AoJ+Zk2UOSaCT0
> U4VeapiDO7aBQnOoMWQPHXgK3pjaYcNVtmfN7AOZPa39nv5di2yuPFU4CRsDrfRo
> R3GyZSNnU6A/GizA4dwO11Te1EfnsDU1ZP/F64a/CKMC6NvKOBin5GLXupjzMwc=
> =hIlK
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
>
> _______________________________________________
> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
> Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Noisebridge-discuss mailing list
> Noisebridge-discuss at lists.noisebridge.net
> https://www.noisebridge.net/mailman/listinfo/noisebridge-discuss
>
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.noisebridge.net/pipermail/noisebridge-discuss/attachments/20120910/f9da448a/attachment-0003.html>